NSF Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program Phase I
Posted February 24, 2021
Disciplines: All
NSF Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program Phase I
The NSF STTR program focuses on transforming scientific discovery into commercial potential and/or societal benefit through the development of products or services. Unlike fundamental or basic research activities which focus on scientific and engineering discovery itself, the NSF STTR program supports startups and small businesses in technological innovation, that is, the creation of opportunities to move fundamental science and engineering out of the lab and into the market.
The NSF STTR Program funds research and development. The program is designed to provide non-dilutive funding and entrepreneurial support at the earliest stages of company and technology development. By investing federal research and development funds into startups and small businesses, NSF hopes to build a strong national economy and stimulate the creation of novel products, services, and solutions in the private sector; strengthen the role of small business in meeting federal research and development needs; increase the commercial application of federally supported research results; and develop and increase the US workforce, especially by fostering and encouraging participation by socially and economically disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses.
The SBIR/STTR Programs at NSF have no specific topical or procurement focus. Generally, the topics included in NSF SBIR and STTR solicitations are broad to permit as many eligible science- and engineering-based small businesses as possible to compete for funding. By doing so, these programs meet the purpose of the SBIR/STTR legislation by transforming science and engineering discovery and innovation into both social and economic benefit, by emphasizing private sector commercialization. SBIR/STTR awards are not traditional government contracts. They are not awarded in order to procure services or goods for the government. No tangible benefit is received by the government.
Annual project reports are provided to NSF by the awardee as part of an oversight mechanism to ensure that the company is properly spending the funds received on research, as proposed. NSF does not purchase these annual project reports and does not benefit from or otherwise use these reports. NSF does not test, verify, or otherwise use the technology developed under its SBIR/STTR awards. The SBIR/STTR Phase I Programs are highly competitive. While success rates vary year-to-year, approximately 10-15% of the full proposals submitted are selected for an award. Thus, there are many qualified businesses applying to the program each year that do not receive funding.
